Peters



(No Model.)

A. O. FAIRBANKS &W. A. COLE.

PEG SUPPORTING DEVIGE FOR BANJOS.

Patented July 14, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT G. FAIRBANKS AND VITJLIAM A. COLE, OF BOSTON, MASS.

PEG-SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR BANJOS.

SPECEFICATTON forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,054, dated July 14, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ALBERT O. FAIRBANKS, of Boston, (Somerville,) in the county of Mid dlesex, and WILLIAM A. GoLE, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, in the State of Massachusetts, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Peg Supporting and Clamping Devices for Banjos and Similar Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

The object of our inventionisto provideimprovements in the construction and arrangement of a supporting and clamping device for the pegs by means of which the strings ofbanjos and similar musical instruments are tightened or loosened and held at the desired tension to obtain and preserve the proper tune in the instrument. Heretofore these pegs have in some instances been constructed to enter or pass through holes in the neck of the banjo, into which they are crowded after being turned to the proper degree, the friction between the peg and walls of the hole being relied upon to resist the tension of the string. In some cases the pegs have been caused to clamp or bind against the head or neck of the banjo by means of binding-screws, nuts, and similar devices. Both these constructions have proved defective, the first be cause, on account of wear and other causes, the peg is found to slip in use, which throws the string out of tune; and the second construction has been objectionable because it has heretofore always involved injurious cutting and weakening of the banjo, and in some cases has caused projecting parts, which incommode the player. These defects are especially objectionable in the case of what is called the fifth peg of a banjo, which isa peg set upon the side of the neck at some distance below the rest, the perforation of the neck at that point frequently causing it to break under the heavy tension of the strings when in tune. It is also very essential that the side of the neck opposite the fifth peg should be entirely smooth, as it serves as a sliding rest for the fingers of the performer in going from one fret to another; lastly, the neatness and finish of the instrument, especially those of the higher cost, render these methods of application objectionable.

The object of our presentinvention is to obviate these defects, and we accomplish this in the following manner, illustrated in the drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 show in plan and elevation its application to all thepegs of a banjo. Figs. 3 and 5 show in section the detail of application to one of the four pegs at the head, and to the fifth peg,or that on the side of the banjo. Fig. 4 illustrates aspecial construction of the peg to conveniently receive the nut and washer, as hereinafter described.

We provide a support, which may be alike for each peg, as shown. This support we attach to the head or neck of the banjo at the point where the peg is to be held, and we prefer to form it of metal, in order to obtain strength. The best form now known to us is that of a metal plate or strip, A, which is attached to the head or neck, and to which the peg is adapted to be clamped with a regulated tightness, so that it may be turned by the performer at will to raise or lower the pitch of the string, but will not turn. or give under the tension of the string alone. The support A, which alone carries and takes the strain of the peg, is so constructed that the peg is entirely supported without any bearing of the peg or its clamp against the head or neck of the banjo itself. WVhen applied to the four pegs at the head of the banjo, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) the support holds the peg free from the walls of the perforations commonly formed there, beyond which the end of the peg which carries the string projects. \Vhen employed for the fifth peg, Figs. 1 and 5, the standard is attached to the side of the instrument, as shown, and all inj urious perforation or weakening of the neck of the instrument at this point is prevented and the opposite side of the neck is left entircly clear.

To conveniently adjust and clamp the peg in the standard, we prefer to employ a washer, a, and nut 0, as shown, the washer a being mounted on a shoulder, Fig. 4, formed on the peg B, where it projects by the standard A, and the nut being screw-threaded to match a screw-thread 011 the peg below the wash er, (see Fig. 4-,) and being so formed that it can be held from turning when the peg is turned. This may conveniently be done either by making the nut with straight sides, which can be held with a wrench or by making a perforation in its periphery, into which a pin may be inserted by the performer to hold it. These two forms of construction are illustrated in the two head-pegs shown at Fig. 2. The peg B is also provided with the usual perforation for receiving and carrying the string.

The operation of the device is as follows: The regulated amount of friction or clamp be tween the peg and the standard is obtained by holding the nut c and turning the peg 13 until the nut and the washer are clamped against the standard with a force sufficient to resist the pull of the string, but not so great as to prevent the turning of the peg, washer, and nut, by means of which turning the tension or pitch of the string may be regulated at pleasure, while the friction remains sufficient to prevent the peg from yielding or giving under the pull of the string after it is set at the proper tension. This preventsthe string from falling in pitch under its own tension orwhile the instrument is being played. The office of the washer interposed between the nut and standard is to prevent the former from being started or loosened when the peg requires to be turned backor against the direction of the thread of the nut. The washer, which is fixed upon the shaft of the peg, takes the friction of the standard, which friction, if brought direct- 1y against the nut in one direction, wouldtend to loosen it.

Any form of clamping device for clamping the peg to the standard or support may be employed that will produce a bind sufficient to hold the peg against the tension of the tuned string, but still allow the peg to be turned at will to alter the pitch. \Veprefer the washer and nut on account of its simplicity and coir venience.

A further feature of ourimproved construction herein described is that our improved standard with its clamping device may be readily applied to old instruments or to any form of instrument without materially cutting away the head or neck or injuring or weakening the structure.

\Ve claim 1. In abanjo orsimilarinstrument, the combination of a peg, a standard, A, and a clamping device, substantially such as herein described, for clamping the peg to the standard with a regulated degree of friction, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. In a banjo orsimilar instrument, the combination, with the body or neck thereof, of the peg B, the washer a, secured against rotation thereon, the nut c, screw-threaded upon the peg and adapted to be held against rotation, and the standard A, all substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names this 10th day of October, A. D. 1884-.

ALBERT O. FAIRBANKS. XVILLIAM A. COLE.

lVitnesses:

J. HENRY TAYLOR, Janus I BLlGII. 

